realtor: Not White Paint
- 03/28/12 12:52 AM
Not White Paint At first glance, the home inspector thought the bottom of the subfloor had been painted white.Upon closer inspection, the inspector concluded it was a bio-growth. An inspector (unless they’re a certified industrial hygienist) shouldn’t say ‘mold’, as doing so makes them the expert in a court of law.If there’s a bio-growth growing on crawlspace surfaces, there’s a good chance there are issues with inadequate or poor ventilation; leaking toilets, negative grade; no drainage system; downspouts discharging next to the foundation; over-irrigation; leaking water supply or drain pipes; swimming pool leaks; high water table all of which can contribute … (2 comments)
realtor: Walking on Water
- 03/27/12 11:08 AM
It’s not everyday that home inspectors can say they walked on water. The photo is a buckled wood floor. Buckling is when wood flooring swells and lifts off of the sub-floor surface.Severe buckling is usually the result of excessive water flooding a wood floor... for example, an overflowing bathtub or toilet; or a water supply pipe break.It this case, the source of water was a garden hose.In the current real estate market, there are foreclosures, short sales, and abandoned houses. Sometimes, disgruntled homeowners damage their house before the bank takes it over.The rear sliding door was opened, a garden hose was … (1 comments)
realtor: The Dark Side of Ivy
- 03/07/12 11:28 AM
Ivy can look beautiful on house walls and brick chimneys, if maintained. The thick, green texture gives your home a woodsy feel. It can provide a canopy over a trellis or pergola.There is a dark side to ivy, though. As the ivy tendrils (a slender, whiplike or threadlike plant strand specialized to anchor and support vines) dig deep into brick; it can actually grow through the brick and mortar, damaging your home and chimney.Ivy had fully engulfed this chimney. From the roof, the home inspector could barely make out the spark arrestor/raincap assembly on top; and could not see the … (6 comments)
One of the interesting aspects of being a home inspector… Is that you never know what the next home inspection may bring. Most of my unusual photos come from the garage or under the house. It’s not too often that a sign is posted on a bedroom door: “Do Not open or touch this door Very important that you follow this request Do Not Touch!! Thank You!!” Many things come to mind… If the house is occupied and there’s a Do Not Open sign on a door… does it mean there’s something in the room that will come after … (21 comments)
realtor: How Many Wires Can be Stuffed....
- 01/12/12 02:16 PM
Apparently, a lot of wires can be stuffed into an electrical junction box... However, this installation doesn't meet the National Electrical Code requirements. You could say, the more the merrier... But not in this situation. Too many wires stuffed into a box can cause dangerous overheating, short-circuiting and fire. The NEC specifies minimum electrical junction box sizes to reduce this risk. What I'm talking about is 'box fill'. Electrical junction boxes all have a certain volume that the wires can occupy. This junction box appears to be a 30 cubic inch volume size. My recommendation was to recommend further review by a licensed … (4 comments)
realtor: Seeing Double
- 12/19/11 03:10 PM
Double-wiring, also known as “double-lugging,” is a condition where there's two wires under one lug screw on a circuit breaker in an electrical panel. The photo shows there are three instances of double-lugging in this electrical panel. Double-tapping typically occurs when a non-professional is adding an additional electrical circuit... and a new circuit breaker wasn't purchased or there's no room in the electrical panel for another circuit breaker. Why is double wiring/lugging a problem? A little technical talk now... If a wire becomes loose, it can arc. As it arcs, there is a buildup of carbon. Carbon creates resistance making it more … (6 comments)
That U shaped piece of pipe under your sink is called a P-trap. The purpose is to create a water seal and keep sewer gas from entering the household. A requirement of a properly installed P-trap is that it has a water seal of not less than 2 inches and not more than 4 inches (between the two horizontal red lines)... the P-trap depth in the photo is about 12". Over time the P-trap will become plugged with anything that is washed down the kitchen sink. Eventually, the sink will begin to drain slowly, as there's not enough … (2 comments)
Learn about: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos Home inspectors routinely encounter asbestos materials installed in older houses. What is asbestos? It’s a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. The photo shows a floor register ‘duct transition boot’ wrapped in an asbestos-like material. Is this a problem? The following information was taken from the EPA publication: Asbestos in Your Home… http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/index.html When asbestos-containing materials (older acoustic ceiling tiles, some popcorn ceilings, linoleum floor tiles, … (2 comments)
Not White Paint At first glance, the home inspector thought the bottom of the subfloor had been painted white.Upon closer inspection, the inspector concluded it was a bio-growth. An inspector (unless they’re a certified industrial hygienist) shouldn’t say ‘mold’, as doing so makes them the expert in a court of law.If there’s a bio-growth growing on crawlspace surfaces, there’s a good chance there are issues with inadequate or poor ventilation; leaking toilets, negative grade; no drainage system; downspouts discharging next to the foundation; over-irrigation; leaking water supply or drain pipes; swimming pool leaks; high water table all of which can contribute … (2 comments)
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